I had him by the
neck, and he gripped the table, and his knife flashed back at me
wildly once, but I jerked him round and hurled him from the dais
with a mighty crash, and so followed him and held him pinioned,
while the cups and platters of the overturned table rolled and
clattered round us.
Then rose uproar enough, and the hall was full of flashing swords.
I mind that I heard the leathern peace thongs of one snap as the
thane who tried to draw it tugged at the hilt, forgetting them.
Soon I was in the midst of a half ring of men as I held the man
close to the great fire on the hearth with his face downward and
his right arm doubled under him. He never stirred, and I thought he
waited for me to loose my hold on him.
Then came the steady voice of Ina:
"Let none go forth from the hall. To your seats, my friends, for
there can be no more danger; and let the house-carles see to the
man."
Two of my men took charge of my captive, even as he lay, and I
stood up. Owen was close to me.
"The man is dead," he said in a strange voice.
"I doubt it," I answered, looking at him quickly, for the voice
startled me. Then I saw that my foster father's face was white and
drawn as with some trouble, and he was gazing in a still way at the
man whom the warriors yet held on the floor.
"His foot has been in the fire since you hove him there, yet he has
not stirred," he said.
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